September News, Notes, and Something New!

 Hi! I hope you all had a good summer. It went by really fast, didn’t it? Seems like I blinked and it was gone. There wasn’t nearly enough hours in the day and like usual, I fell behind.

Between being sick for three weeks and having to take side work to keep the IRS from seizing my accounts and property, book 8 won’t be out until roughly December. This one has so many details to be researched and verified that I miscounted how long it would take. I am sorry. It’s hard to guess on something like this, but I need the preorders so I can make ends meet with the new expenses that come each time I release a book--covers, edits, formatting, and other costs.

I hope you can understand and if you can donate to my fund at all (see the link at the top, right side.) I would appreciate the help. I can’t seem to get out from under the IRS and they’re very threatening, you know? Until I am caught up with them, it’s hard to spend time writing.

Like with the other times this has happened with a preorder, you have my word that you will receive your copy first, before any of the retailers, and if you want a refund, you need only send me an email to: cloudninepublications@yahoo.com.

Notes

All merchandise orders from July and August have been shipped. Watch your mail!

Something New

I realize you’re probably expecting another preview of book 8, but I’m not ready to release any more of that yet. Instead, I hope you’ll enjoy this excerpt from the next Alexa’s Travels novel.

 

Alexa’s Travels Book #3

1

“This will do.”

The men stared at the family cabin Alexa had led them to. It was nice here, without the feel of corruption, and they gaped a bit at her finding them such a place to rest in. It instantly reminded every one of them of their old homes.

“How long are we staying?” Mark asked, dropping his gear near the front porch swing that actually appeared as though it would hold his weight without collapsing.

“Overnight or for a week,” Alexa replied mysteriously. “We’ll see how that goes.”

The men liked the idea of spending a week resting--of Alexa spending a week resting--but they heard the warning as well and alert-mode kicked in heavily. The six men circled the small farmhouse and then walked the property to verify they were alone here.

Alexa waited in the shade of the porch and pretended her skin wasn’t stinging. Walking in the sunlight for hours had hurt. Not worse than her heart when she’d spied their shadow, though. Brian would follow her forever now, no matter how many times she tried to warn him off. She had gone through the same thing with her father and she understood all future plans would have to account for him.

Alexa’s heart swelled a bit as she considered that Adrian must have done the very same thing when she’d come to him, or she would have easily been killed during one of his adventures that she’d been on the fringes of. It was a comfort, something she needed right now. Becoming this new creature was an adjustment that Alexa still wasn’t sure she was capable of. In fact, a number of things would have to change, as of today. There would be no more walking in the sun unless she wanted to burst into flames. They would travel at night and sleep during the light.

“All clear here,” came from multiple directions and then the males joined her on the wide porch.

“We’ll get settled inside and then make some preparations,” Alexa instructed as Edward pried open the front door.

The cool, dark cave-like interior beckoned to Alexa and she forced herself to wait until it had been cleared. Maintaining her rituals would get much harder now.

“Clear,” Edward called and was brushed aside as a blur spun into the coolness and vanished down the first set of steps to the cellar.

Edward exchanged looks with the others, but didn’t comment.

The men got busy preparing their shelter, mindful of her words about overnight or a week, depending on what happened. They assumed it meant they weren’t safe here and they reacted accordingly.

Billy took up a guard post outside, Edward worked on doors, Mark took care of the few windows, and the others went through the small home, gathering supplies for a battle. As they worked, light conversation drifted down to Alexa.

“Will a week here help her?”

“If we can feed her, maybe.”

“I’ve heard they can go a long time between meals.”

“Not at first.”

“Any idea what we’re fighting here?”

“Hard to say. Zombies and soldiers, ghosts. Take your pick.”

“How about feathers?”

The chuckles sent a nice vibe through the air and Alexa closed her lids against the faint light from the hatch she’d left open. She couldn’t stand to be cut off from her men completely. Their voices soothed the terrors and she drifted off with their male bonding ringing in her ears.

“We could always go back for the rabbit, chop off a part at a time.”

“I think his parts are already being used.”

Snickers and laughter also echoed out to Billy, who had climbed the tallest tree and was perched in the top branches like a parrot. There was movement in many directions and he was keeping a rotating watch on all of them. The way they’d come, was their newest shadow. Brian had camped out in the caves and erected a small barrier over the entrance that he’d obviously brought along. The cloth blended perfectly, as did the small piece of debris. If not for Billy coming out in time to see the boy shoot a rabbit with a dart gun and disappear inside, they wouldn’t have picked out his den.

The other directions held a few walking dead and soldiers who were clearly lost. None of those was coming toward Alexa’s den, but Billy planned to make sure he knew it if that changed. They’d had too many close calls recently. Pushing their luck right now wasn’t a good idea.